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Posts tagged with "apple store"

Reports Of A Grand Central Apple Store Resurface

The Wall Street Journal has today revived suggestions that Apple is looking to open an Apple Store in the New York Grand Central Terminal. Back in early February there had been reports from the New York Observer that Apple was planning to open their largest store at the terminal. Those rumors were then squashed in early March after reports surfaced that negotiations had fallen through.

Todays report from the WSJ claims that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is looking for new tenants and that Apple has expressed interest in establishing a retail presence within Grand Central. The space on offer is large, but not large enough to be the world’s largest Apple Store – which is currently the Regent Street (London) store which is 25,000 square feet.

The agency is looking for a single renter for two adjacent balconies on the north and east sides of the terminal. It will issue a request for proposals Monday.

A spokesman for the MTA told the WSJ that the agency dealing with the space has spoken to Apple and is hopeful that they bid on the space. Their report also suggests that the MTA may even be working specifically to find space for Apple, offering two adjacent spaces for rent, even though one is still occupied by a tenant. That tenant, who operates the Metrazur restaurant, would likely receive a hefty buyout from whoever purchases the space.

If Apple is interested in renting the space they will have to do so publicly – with all retail space within Grand Central awarded through an open bidding process. Jump the break for a plan of the retail space on offer – highlighted in red on the right hand side, labelled “East Balcony”.

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Apple Updates Apple Store App with Custom Configure Options, New In-Store Features

 

As widely expected, Apple has just updated the official Apple Store app to version 1.3 including custom configure options for Macs and the ability to get support quickly inside an Apple retail store. Contrarily to previous speculation, the app seems to be US-exclusive and doesn’t include an iPad universal version for now. With the new configure options, users are now able to build and order the Mac they want by selecting different RAM configurations, hard drives, displays and more – just like on the Apple Online Store. As for in-store support, the screenshot below shows you can access Mac OS X Tips and Tricks and workshop schedules, see how many customers are in line in front of you, and check out the next opening at the Genius Bar.

 

From the changelog:

- Enhanced in-store mode lets you get help and support quickly when you’re at an Apple Retail Store.
- The ability to custom-configure a new Mac with the options you want.

The app is available now in the App Store here.

Update: the app is actually becoming available internationally this time. Here’s the link to get it from the Italian store. The Apple Store app is now slowly propagating across Europe, as it’s out in France, Germany, UK, and Spain.


Retail iPad Displays Can Return to Home Screen, Run Custom Web App

A few more interesting tidbits about the iPad displays Apple has put up in their retail stores to showcase specs and prices and offer product comparisons have surfaced today. As we already knew, the iPads default to a device or computer they’re paired with to display additional information, making it impossible for customers to return to the iOS home screen by pressing the Home button. As reported by 9to5mac however, it is possible for store managers to “unlock” the devices with a custom gesture combination and use the regular iOS.

An Apple Store Manager relayed to us that the new iPad 2 displays are able to turn into “normal iPads” with a few swipes in secret combination. To find out if true, I went to the Soho store and tried it out. Yep, it works.

Additionally, MacRumors points out that an iPad was found unlocked in an Apple Store, with the iOS home screen displaying and “Enroll iPad” app icon. The app is not a native one but, as many suspected, a webclip that launches an AppleConnect interface in Mobile Safari to log in and associate the iPad to a Mac, iOS device or iPod inside the store. It’s likely that the custom retail software is getting all the data from Apple’s servers, meaning that all changes to iPad stores displays (prices, tech specs, artworks) can be performed remotely by Apple without local modifications by employees or store managers.

The interesting bit was the app that was on the dock which says Enroll iPad. It isnt actually an app but instead a Safari bookmark. Clicking on the app takes you to Safari shown in the last image. I tried to go back to the homescreen but I couldn’t seen the Home Button does not do anything.

Of all the rumors we’ve heard in the past weeks about the “Apple Store 2.0 experience”, there was one that claimed employees were instructed to download a folder containing GBs of data from Apple’s corporate servers – some suggested that private folder could be a retail-specific disk image for OS X Lion. We’re just speculating here, but it could be possible that employees were simply told to download the app data from the servers to test the retail software hours before launch, and the rumors posted were incorrect. Private folder or not, the new Apple Store experience has launched today, and now we’re waiting for the updated Apple Store app to go live in the Store.


Apple Store 2.0 Goes Live: Interactive iPads and More [Updated]

Following the wild speculation and rumors from the last week as to whether Apple was planning a special event to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Retail, the so-called Apple Store 2.0 experience has launched in Australia (it’s already Sunday morning there and Apple Stores are open), featuring what was previously reported: iPads are used to display product information and prices, compare features between different products and ask for a specialist’s help. As you can see from the photo above, it appears the new store-specific application (we don’t know yet if it’s a native app, a web app, or something else) is used to lists features, compare, call for support and introduce new users to the Mac platform.

Website Mac Prices Australia has posted photos from the updated Apple retail experience:

Retail stores around Australia have launched ‘Retail 2.0′ to mark the 10th anniversary of Apple Retail stores. We knew this was coming but what exactly has happened?

iPads display product prices & information for products.

iPads display product features, prices and lets you compare between models.

Use the iPad to ask a specialist to to come to you.

Apple store staff appear to be wearing party hats.

We’ll update this post with more information as they become available. If you live in Australia and have photos to send, our [email protected] inbox is waiting for your pictures.

Update: more photos from the Sydney Apple Store below.

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Apple Store iOS App Expected To Be Updated As Part Of Retail Revamp

Some more fragments of information have leaked out about what this weekends rumoured Apple Store 2.0 relaunch will bring. According to MacRumors, the iOS Apple Store app will be updated, bringing with it full support for building custom, built-to-order Macs.

It is suggested that the app update will bring all the features and purchasing options that the online Apple Store currently offers – meaning the ability to customize everything from the processor to memory and even pre-installed software. Add-ons, like printers and AppleCare, would also be options for customers to select when using the Apple Store app for ordering a new Mac. The Apple Store app was released just over a year ago but has always been somewhat limited, only offering customers the ability to order the base configurations of each Mac and with options for AppleCare or One to One.

With this update, it seems clear that Apple has opted to move the mobile ordering experience into an app rather than deploying it as a mobile-formatted website.

With this latest leak, it seems reasonable to expect a fairly large and broad revamp of the Apple Store experience, just days after its 10 year aniversary. From what has leaked and been rumoured, there is expected to be minor store makeovers, a revamp of the internal RetailMe service on iPad 2s, a new internal “Daily Download” application for store employees and now a new Apple Store app for iOS.

[Via MacRumors]


Screenshots Reveal New “Daily Download” App for Apple Retail Employees

Following all the rumors posted in the past week surrounding Apple’s internal retail meetings set for May 22 and the alleged launch of a new retail store experience dubbed Apple Store 2.0, 9to5mac has managed to get their hands on one of those retail-specific iPads we previously reported on, grabbing some screenshots of the new “Daily Download” application for employees. As the website explains, the Daily Download used to be a web application where employees could get access to an internal “newspaper” with various material including news and product indexes.

9to5mac also says that private folder Apple employees were instructed to download from Apple’s servers with GBs of data inside contained disk images of Lion, which is going to be installed on some store machines. It’s unclear, however, how Apple managed to deploy a stable, final version of Lion for retail, when the consumer version is still stuck at beta 3 with several stability issues.

The “gigs of data” for sunday, as far as I can tell from the general consensus around the store and some of my contacts is that we will infact be downloading OS X Lion images and installing on all FOH machines for a Sunday launch. Nothing else fits since all other visual content has already been pulled from the apple servers that we gather content from. Lion is the mutual feeling around the store, even from managers. Speaking of managers, they have been given a general idea about what is happening, but full details will be revealed to them on friday evening.

We’ll know more for sure come Monday morning, May 22, and you can check out more screenshots of Daily Download here. Rumors have pointed to Apple organizing a product launch, a store re-organization and a 10th anniversary celebration for retail on May 22, though at this point an overhaul of some retail store operations seems more likely.


Today Marks Ten Years Of Apple Retail Stores

On May 19 2001, Apple opened the first of its many retail Apple Stores; the Tysons Corner and Glendale stores. Ten years on, Apple’s retail ambitions have proven incredibly successful with over 300 stores in more than 10 countries.Along the way there have been some stunning stores, including the Regent street store in London (also the largest), the glass cube Fifth Avenue store in New York, the Paris Carrousel du Louvre Store and Pundong store in Shanghai.

As always, Wikipedia has some in-depth history and facts about the Apple Stores, as does ifoAppleStore which has an awesome list of unique factoids - did you know that the Bondi store has trees inside the store or that the Regent Street store has the longest Genius Bar at 46 feet? There have also been rumors in the past few days that Apple is planning to launch Apple Stores 2.0 - a relaunch of the stores with a shift in focus to ‘Personal Setups’, revamp of the actual stores with larger displays and deployment of iPad 2s for signatures being the key rumored changes.

Jump the break for pictures of these and other stunning stores, as well as a video of Jobs introducing that first Tysons Corner store - and see how much they’ve changed since!

Update: Added some pictures of the Tysons Corner store as it was on launch day (click on them for larger size), the original style of Apple Stores.

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Rumor: Apple Working on “Apple Store 2.0” Launch

Speculation around Apple’s May 22 retail meetings is running wild these days, and following reports of NFC-equipped tables, the return of the Back to School program and iPads being shipped to Apple Stores for retail specialist usage through RetailMe, 9to5mac is now reporting Apple’s retail plans for this weekend are much bigger than previously expected. According to the website, Apple has been busy working on a major Apple Store 2.0 launch, an internal name for what supposedly is a complete overhaul of the Apple Store experience that saw direct input by Steve Jobs, Jonathan Ive and Senior VP of Retail Ron Johnson.

Apple Store 2.0 is said to give more importance to Personal Setups, a new initiative launched by Apple a few months ago that allows users to be assisted with the purchase of a new Mac in the creation of a new iTunes account, first App Store run and Mac App Store purchases. Personal Setup is rumored to be relocated in new areas inside the Apple Store called Startup Sessions which, among other things, will feature interactive iPads for signage instead of paper. Whether or not these could be the same iPads AppleInsider is reporting on is unknown at this point. 9to5mac also posted more details of this alleged Apple Store 2.0 plan:

Next, these new Apple Stores – at least in some locations – will feature beefed up displays, which are described as “huge,” in addition to brand-new sound systems. Besides those in-store changes, Apple is set to release a brand-new Apple Store iOS application – possibly on Sunday – that is even more interactive. For example, a user with the app can walk into the store and the app will know which location the user is at. The app can even ask the user if they’d like to speak to a specialist, for example.

Details on the new Apple Store app are unclear, however, as the app was already updated months ago to include check-ins, as we reported, and the possibility to see a photo of the employee that will assist you was included, but apparently never effectively used by Apple. Perhaps the rumored Apple Store 2.0 experience will unlock more functionalities in the Apple Store app, and if so we’ll definitely know more on Sunday, May 22, after the retail meetings end.


Apple Schedules US Retail Meeting on May 22

According to a tip we received from a trusted source, Apple will hold an all-hands employee meeting in US retail stores on Sunday, May 22. The retail meeting will start at 7 AM, an “unusual time” says our source, considering Apple usually holds this kind of meetings on Sunday evenings, after stores close.

Store meetings at 7AM Sunday across United States. Unusual time. Expecting some announcement. All stores, brand-wide US. Don’t know about other countries.

Last week, Cult of Mac reported the Apple Store in Fresno, CA, was planning on holding an employee meeting on Saturday, May 28. Our source says it’s normal for store leaders to choose a different meeting date within a certain window, and that could be the May 22-29 week. Of course, there’s plenty of room for speculation about this retail meeting: with the WWDC approaching (kicks off in San Francisco on June 6), Apple might want to train employees for the rumored new MobileMe features, iCloud, or some other product scheduled to be announced at the developer event – as also suggested by MacRumors back in April. It’s worth noting, however, that Apple celebrates the 10th anniversary of Retail this week, with several websites claiming the company was on track to set up special events and store merchandise for the anniversary.

AppleInsider reported on April 20 Apple was restricting employees from taking time off between May 20-22; our source says that’s because of the all-hands meeting set for May 22, though he couldn’t confirm as to whether it’s an anniversary-related meeting, or an internal training for new products and announcements.

Update: BGR has posted more details on the event Apple may be planning for its retail anniversary. These include NDAs to sign, overnight shifts at Apple Stores through mid-Sunday, May 22, new hardware to install and a password-protected folder for employees called “training.”

During the overnight shift, it’s going to be required that employees lock cell phones in the main office. They will also have to sign an NDA with Apple.

There are a wide variety of roles, we’re told, for the overnight shift. This includes all visuals staff, a manager, a business team member, a few Genius team members, one back-of-house employee, and a few generic Apple specialists.

Apple stores have apparently already received hardware to install, and are expecting more hardware to come on Friday or Saturday. All materials that Apple stores have received have been instructed to be under lock and key until after close on Saturday night.

Apple employees will be putting up black curtains at all stores so that people walking outside cannot see inside.

Employees have had to download gigabytes of data from Apple corporate labeled, “training” in a password-protected zipped folder that won’t accessible to managers or anyone else until Saturday afternoon.

BGR also confirms meetings are scheduled for Monday morning, May 22.